Italian Dandelion, Heirloom Leaf Chicory Seeds

Italian Dandelion, Heirloom Leaf Chicory Seeds — The Vigorous Leafy Chicory Eaten Fresh in Salads and Cooked Like Collard Greens

Italian Dandelion (Cichorium intybus) — known in Italian as Cicoria — is a leafy, non-head-forming chicory eaten as a fresh vegetable. Despite the name, it is not a true dandelion but a leaf chicory that has been mistranslated over generations. Vigorous and entirely edible, with forest-green leaves that provide a savory, slightly bitter flavor when cooked — similar to collard greens. Dried chicory root can also be added to coffee, a beloved tradition in New Orleans. Baby leaves are ready in as little as 20 days; roots mature at 65+ days. A perennial that returns year after year.

Why Grow Italian Dandelion?

• Vigorous and entirely edible — leaves, stems, and roots all usable
• Savory, slightly bitter flavor — excellent cooked like collard greens or raw in salads
• Baby leaves in 20 days — one of the fastest greens to harvest
• Dried root for coffee — a classic New Orleans tradition
• Hardy perennial — returns year after year once established
• Open-pollinated heirloom — save seed year after year

Growing Notes

Direct sow outdoors in early spring or fall. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in full sun to part shade. Thin to 6–8 inches apart. Keep soil consistently moist. Harvest baby leaves at 20+ days for salads; allow to mature for cooked greens. Roots can be harvested at 65+ days, dried, and roasted for chicory coffee. Self-sows freely once established.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — heirloom seeds grown without GMOs, selected for flavor, resilience, and your garden’s success.